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I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but I don’t own a cast iron skillet. Being an avid home cook who has been obsessed with cooking since I was 7, it seems silly that I don’t own this essential kitchen tool. I have almost every pot, pan, knife and utensil a home cook would need, except the one that’s at the top of every “must need” list: a weathered, heavy cast-iron. Anytime I visit my parents and cook something in their well-seasoned cast iron skillet, a family heirloom that was passed down from my Grandmother and Great-Grandmother, I fantasize about getting my own and making all the wonderful recipes that call for this key tool: omelettes, hash browns, brownies, you name it.

The best kind of skillets are the ones that are handed down through generations, perfectly seasoned and cared for. Generations of recipes, traditions and history, all passed down through the use of a sturdy cast-iron skillet. Anytime I see a recipe calling for a cast-iron pan, I try to improvise or end up saving it for later; or spend hours researching the best brand so I can someday call it my own. But when I came across this skillet corn bread recipe from one of my absolute favorite cookbooks, “Once Upon a Tart…“, I knew I had to make it and couldn’t wait for my inevitable heavy iron purchase. I do have a really pretty, heavy pie plate I received as a gift, so decided I couldn’t hold out any longer – I would make this recipe in a pie pan, and I’m so glad I didn’t hold out.

This corn bread is absolutely delicious. The richness of the browned butter adds a nice subtle, nutty flavor to the bread, and the sugar adds a sweetness that complements the saltiness of the butter and corn. I reduced the sugar in the recipe by half because I don’t like my cornbread that sweet, but if you prefer sweeter feel free to add up to a 1/2 cup more. Baking the batter in the heavy pie plate added a nice golden crust to the outer layer, but I imagine baking this in a good cast-iron skillet will make it that much better.

I originally made this corn bread to accompany a winter stew, but I found I liked it even better the next morning for breakfast, toasted with a dab of butter. Because everything is better with butter…and cast-iron skillets.

Brown Butter Skillet Corn Bread

Note: If you’re like me and don’t own a cast-iron skillet, this corn bread can also be baked in a 9×5 inch loaf pan, or a glass or ceramic 9- or 10- inch pie plate. This cornbread is not overly sweet, but if you prefer sweeter cornbread, feel free to add up to a 1/2 cup additional sugar. Adapted from Once Upon a Tart…

Ingredients

5 tablespoons butter

1 large egg

1 1/3 cups cold whole milk

1 1/3 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

1/4 cup whole-wheat flour

1 cup cornmeal

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

Recipe

Preheat the oven to 450º F, and position your oven racks so that one is in the center. Butter a 9- or 10- inch cast iron skillet (or a 5×9 loaf pan) and set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, until melted. Allow to cook, stirring constantly, until it is browned and fragrant, about 5 minutes. Make sure to brown but not burn. Allow to cool to room temperature.

In a large bowl, whisk the egg and whole milk together. Add the cooled, browned butter and whisk until combined.

Little known fact about me: I love chocolate. Okay, that might have been obvious by now if you are a frequent visitor of my little part of these here interwebs, but seriously, I live for chocolate. I’m not even in the slightest bit embarrassed about admitting to the fact that I probably eat chocolate almost every day. Most of the time, it’s just a small square, or a few chocolate chips, but I have a hard time going a full day without my much needed chocolate fix. Continue reading →

For the past few weeks, I’ve been making a conscious effort to eat healthy, which hasn’t been that difficult considering the endless amount of nutritious and delicious recipes on the internet. Eating more healthfully, for me, often means opting for cooking rather than ordering in, and I’ve been having a blast researching so many different recipes from some of my favorite cookbooks and blogs. I’ve been stocking up on veggies,healthier flours (buckwheat pancakes anyone?), and cutting back on sugar. The hardest part about conscious eating, for me at least, is that I can’t resist my incessant sweet tooth. As hard as I try, my hankering for baked goods can not be denied. In addition to my pathetic lack of self control when it comes to sweets, I also didn’t want to miss out on this month’s #bundtbakers theme: Coconut (one of my faves!) Continue reading →

As much as I curse winter – when the temperature outside approaches single digits and the walls of concrete skyscrapers lining 5th avenue turn into gale-force wind tunnels with threatening speeds that almost knock you into oncoming traffic; as much as I loath hurdling over the puddles of dirty ice water on every street corner, and the tingling sensation you get from defrosting your extremities on the overpowered radiator in your apartment, the same heat source which causes you to wake up in the middle of the night with feverish sweats because your management company decides to blast the heat with no concern for the environment or your sanity, yea..as much as I think I hate winter, I’m reminded on lazy, Saturday afternoons, gazing out the window overlooking snow covered sidewalks littered with discarded Christmas trees, that winter is really not so bad. Continue reading →